Dharmendra passes away at 89: A look back at his iconic roles

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An era has truly come to an end as legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra tragically passed away on Monday, November 24 2025. The film industry veteran was set to turn 90 in a few days time on December 8, 2025.

Having lived a wonderfully complete life, the actor’s journey in cinema inspired thousands across the nation. Today, we will take a look back at his most iconic roles which contributed to his lore as the larger-than-life ‘He-man’ of Bollywood. (Image source: Pinterest)

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Shola Aur Shabnam (1961)

Dharmendra was fresh-faced and charming as Ravi in the 1961 film Shola aur Shabnam which was one of the earliest films in the actor’s repertoire. A hit film, it helped to launch Dharmendra’s career as a leading man. (Image source: X)

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Haqeeqat (1964)

Haqeeqat saw Dharmendra take on a more serious role as Captain Bahadur Singh in a film based on the 1962 Sino-Indian war. The actor gave a subtle yet moving performance which showed off his dramatic range and potential, and prepared him for bigger roles ahead. (Image source: Courtesy of IMDb)

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Phool Aur Patthar (1966)

Phool Aur Patthar was Dharmendra’s breakout role which saw him get established as the ‘He-man’ of Bollywood. Blending emotionally challenging scenes with awe-inspiring action moments, this film showcased him in his rugged best. (Image source: Pinterest)

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Anupama (1966)

Starring Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore in the titular roles, Anupama was another career high for the Bollywood legend. A shift from his macho roles, Dharmendra played a dreamy and introspective poet named Ashok who helps Tagore’s character Uma rediscover her self worth and identity. The film won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1966. (Image source: Courtesy of IMDb)

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Aankhen (1968)

Dharmendra’s next groundbreaking role was in a spy thriller called Aankhen which saw him as a Bond-esque character named Sunil. Stylish and sly, the film was the most profitable Hindi feature of 1968 in India as per Boxoffice.com. (Image source: Pinterest)

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Satyakam (1969)

In another career highlight, Dharmendra gave one of his best performances in Satyakam, a self-reflective drama which deals with themes like corruption and idealism of the youth. The 1969 film which is based on the novel of the same name by Narayan Sanyal, saw the actor portraying his character Satyapriya with an approach so nuanced that it is considered one of the finest in Indian cinema even today. (Image source: Courtesy of IMDb)

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Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971)

Dharmendra returned to his comfort zone in action-drama film Mera Gaon Mera Desh and blew it out of the park once again. Co-starring Asha Parekh and Vinod Khan, the film was a Box Office hit and got Dharmendra nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Picture. (Image source: X)

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Seeta Aur Geeta (1972)

Seeta Aur Geeta featured an ensemble cast starring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar and Roopesh Kumar among others. A romantic-comedy, it is one of Dharmendra’s most memorable roles and became a hit not only in India but surprisingly in the Soviet Union as well! (Image source: Courtesy of IMDb)

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Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973)

Rated a 7.1 on IMDb still, which speaks to the film’s enduring influence, Dharmendra stars as a ruthless, vengeful criminal who can never get over witnessing the murder of his parents. Widely acknowledged as the first ‘masala’ film, the movie was incredibly influential in the history of Indian cinema. (Image source: Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)

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Sholay (1975)

Sholay is perhaps the pinnacle of Dharmendra’s career. A movie so iconic that frequent callbacks are made to it even today, Sholay is often regarded as one of the most important Indian films of all time. It has been ranked multiple times at #1 on lists of greatest Indian films in history and iconic one-liners spoken by Dharmendra’s character Veeru have become a part of India’s collective consciousness. (Image source: X)

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Chupke Chupke (1975)

Dharmendra was truly an actor who could master any genre, because his role on Chupke Chupke had audiences in stitches then and does so even now. He gave a career best comedic performance in this movie as Parimal Tripathi and proved that his skill-set was extensive. (Image source: X)